The ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) has been used for centuries to relieve irritating coughs due to its expectorant effect in various dosage forms. The leaves of the herb, which is found in many locations, can also enrich various recipes with interesting flavor nuances.
Eat the leaves of the ribwort plantain raw or cooked.
All parts of the plantain are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked. Even the roots are not poisonous, but are rarely used in kitchen recipes. The young and tender leaves of ribwort plantain are not only a healthy food for rabbits and horses, but also a beneficial addition to the human diet. Picked directly from the meadow and eaten raw, the leaves have a rather bitter taste. However, they can easily be cut into smaller pieces with scissors and thus used as an herbal ingredient in the following recipes:
- for delicious ribwort omelets
- in mixed salads
- to round off the taste of cream cheese and herb curd cheese
The buds of ribwort plantain as a snack and spice.
For consumption, it is best to harvest the ribwort buds just before they bloom, when the whitish-yellow stamens around the buds have not yet formed. Raw, these buds have a slightly nutty flavor. However, they can also be gently toasted in oil and used to add a mushroomy flavor to various dishes. If you cut off only the buds, you can sometimes experience the regrowth of fresh flower buds several times during a growing season in the same location.
The preparation of own cough remedies from ribwort plantain
Ribwort plantain is not only edible, but rather has many positive effects on various parts of the human body, such as the digestive tract and respiratory tract. However, the best known for generations is the use of the expectorant effect of ribwort plantain to combat irritable coughs and colds. You can easily make your own cough syrup from ribwort plantain by boiling 1 kilogram of washed and chopped ribwort plantain leaves together with 1 liter of water, 1 kilogram of sugar and 500 grams of honey and allowing it to thicken. After bottling in boiled jars, you should store this cough syrup in a cool place, otherwise it will only keep for a few weeks.
Tips & Tricks
Ribwort plantain itself is not poisonous, but the spread of certain fertilizers or pesticides on other people’s property often cannot be ruled out. Therefore, it is better to harvest ribwort plantain in your own garden or at sites with proven safety.
